Rail-joint.



e. c. RICHARDS.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20. 1916. 1,230,081 Patented June 12, 1917.

WITNESSES INVENTOR GEORGE C. RICHARDS.

BY y 4/ TE STATES RAIL-JOINT.

Application fi1ed.September 20, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it, knownthatI, Gnonon C. Rrormims, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a rail oint.

The object of the present invention is to provide a rail jointcapable of securing the rail ends against lateral and endwise movement with relation to each other, and par ticularly to provide a novel form of tie plate having sufficient length to span two ties, and

a pair of cooperating angle shaped fish plates engageable with the underside of the rail heads and an upwardly projecting flange formed on each side of the tie plate. Further objects will hereinafter appear. The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a cross section of a rail joint. Fig. 2 is a similar View partly broken away, showing the modification of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan section on line IIIIII Fig. l. Referring to the drawings in detail, A and B indicate the abutting ends of a pair of'rails, 2 a tie plate which in this instance is sufliciently long to span a pair of ties such as indicated at 3 and a. Formed on each side of the tie plate is an upwardly projecting flange 5, and adapted to engage each flange and the underside of the rail head is a pair of angle shaped fish plates. The upper end of each fish plate engages the underside of the rail head 6 at the point indicated at 7,

and the lower ends of the fish plates are 130-;- sitioned to engage with the tie plate flanges" 5 as indicated at 8. Each fish plate is bent to form a curve 9 and is notched to receive the securing bolts 11 which pass through the webs of the rails to clamp the plates securely in position under the rail head and against the side flanges of the tie plate. Formed in the base section 12 of each fish plate near the outer edge, are a plurality of openings or notches 13, and similarly formed in the tie plate in register therewith are a plurality of square shaped openings 14:. The registering openings formed in the tie plate and fish plates are provided for the purpose of permitting the spikes 15 to be driven Specification of Letters Patent. Patented. June 12", 1917.

Serial No; 121,163.

through the plates directly into the wood of the ties as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

This structure permits the rail ends to be so securely bound together that a strength equivalent to a continuous piece, of rail is obtained. It. can furthermore be seen that the rail ends are prevented from swaying, springing or moving independently of each other, as they are not only secured against lateral and endwisemovement, but also against any load or strain placedon top of the rails. The present structure permits four spikes to be driven through the fish plate on each side of therail, while the ordinary tie plate only provides for two. The

driving of the spikes through the registering openings formed in the tie plate and fish plates, permits all the spikes to resist any lateral strain, as such strains are transmitted to allthe spikes on both sides of the rail and as it is possible to drive a second row of spikes exterior of the tie plate, it can readily be seen that great strength can be obtained.

By making the shoulders or flanges on the base of thetieplate concave as shown at 16 in Fig. 2, so that the base or lower ends of the fish plates can fit snugly into-the flange, it can be seen that these will be so securely held in place, that any chance of their being accidentally removed is practically obviated even though the securing spikes should happen to work loose.

The engagement of each individual fish plate with an outer flange of the tie plate and the underside of the head of the rails, is one of the important features of the present invention as it permits the formation of a brace structure similar to the rafters supporting a roof. These braces not only support the rails against lateral strains, but also against vertical movement of one rail end with relation to the other. Any lateral strain against the outer plate is transmitted to the outer shoulder of the tie plate, this causes the inner flange of the plate to press against the lower edge of the inside fish plate which in turn transmits the strain back to the head of the rail. The strength or resistance of both the inner and outerplates is thus obtained Whether the lateral pressure is brought against the rails either from one side or the other.

Another advantage obtained by the present structure is the double fastening of the fish plates. First they are secured by the bolts 11 passing through the webs of the rails in the usual manner, and secondly by the heads of the spikes whenthese are driven into the ties. It is therefore possible in position even after they have become more or less loosened in the wood of the tire. Each fish plate is preferably sprung or bent in such manner that only three points of contact are obtained, one point being the flange on the rails such as indicated at 17, and the other points being the underside of the rail heads and the base flanges formed on the tie plate 2.

The materials and finish of the several parts of the rail joint may otherwise be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate.

I wish it understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims, and that I do not wish to limit myself to the specific design or construction here shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A rail joint including a tie plate having an upwardly extending flange on each side thereof, fish-plates formed of resilient metal so as to be sprung to engage at their upper side edges with the lower sides of the rail heads and at their lower side edges with said flanges, said fish-plates being formedof bowed plates having L-shap'ed cross sectional configurations connected by gradually curved parts and having their vertical legs inclined outwardly and downwardly with respect to the rail webs so as to leave space between the curved parts of the fish-plates and the juncture of the rail webs and bases and bolts passing through the fish plates and rail webs to effect regulable clamping of the fish plates.

2. A rail joint including a tie plate having rigid side abutments, fish plates formed of resilient metal so as to be sprung to engage at their upper side edges with the under sides of the rail heads and at their lower side edges with the abutments, said fish plates being bowed so as to have vertical legs spaced from the rail webs and to have horizontal parts which seat only on the outer side parts of the rail bases whercby to leave free space between the juncture of the rail webs and bases, and bolts passing through the fish plates and rail webs to effect regulable clamping of the fish plates.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE O. RICHARDS.

FLORENCE I. LITTLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

